Rodeo Daily

Baby Hes Hot: The Standout Two-Time PRCA Pickup Horse of the Year

A few twists of fate led Tyler Kraft and a special horse named Baby back onto the same path and together they have made history.
Teal Stoll|
Baby Hes Hot at his first Calgary Stampede, age 5
Baby Hes Hot at his first Calgary Stampede, age 5 | Tyler Kraft

When Canadian cowboy Tyler Kraft started four colts for Doug Wilkinson, little did he know the direction life was about to take him. Kraft agreed to put 90 days on the colts, with Wilkinson taking first and third pick.

As fate would have it, Wilkinson's first pick was Baby Hes Hot (Hes Hot N Chexy x Vanzis Baby Boots x Haidalenas War Doc).

"Baby would've been my first pick too," Kraft chuckled.

Wilkinson took Baby to Arizona that winter and when things were not working out, he called Kraft with an offer to buy him back. Kraft jumped at the opportunity and brought Baby back home.

"We started ranching on him and then that fall, I started picking up on him and never looked back. He's not for everybody by any means. He's a really good horse, but he's tough."

Although Baby may not be the easiest horse in some regards, he is exceptional at his job. Together with Kraft, the duo serve as the first line of defense for rodeo's rough stock cowboys - one of the most crucial roles in the game.

"I think I could blindfold myself and he would run to his spot. He can run a hole in the wind," Kraft told us of Baby.

"One of the reasons why I love that horse so much is he works just as good at Pendleton as the Thomas and Mack. Some horses are really good indoors and some are good outdoors. He's so quick footed, but your reins are your throttle. If you put your hand down, he goes, but he also comes back to you so nice."

Kraft, who grew up ranching, also competed in rodeos and began working for the Calgary Stampede at 22. "Not an aspiring pickup man," in his own words, Kraft worked his way up from the bottom. Now headed to his third National Finals Rodeo, Kraft and his team of horses have earned a reputation as one of the best.

As of 2025, Baby has been across more miles than most world travelers. From RODEOHOUSTON in Houston, Texas, to the Xtreme Broncs in Palmer, Alaska, and as far east as Quebec (40 hours from home, just outside Calgary), Baby and Kraft have seen much of North America together.

"I don't think there's another horse in this game that's traveled the miles he has," Kraft explained.

The first-ever PRCA Pickup Horse of the Year in 2023, Baby broke his hock and was out for the majority of 2024. Returning full-time to the arena in 2025, Baby now holds two very well-deserved Horse of the Year titles.

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Teal Stoll
TEAL STOLL

Teal Stoll is a lifelong Wyomingite from a working ranch family of several generations. Both sides of her family have deep roots in rodeo, as contestants and stock contractors. Teal grew up horseback and actively competes in rodeos and barrel races. She has degrees in both business and accounting, which she uses operating her own bookkeeping service. Teal enjoys spending time with her horses, training colts, and maintaining her string of athletes. When she isn’t at the barn, she can be found reading, doing yoga, or on her paddle board at the lake. Teal lives with her fiancee and a plethora of animals, because she can’t say no to a displaced critter with a sad story. When she isn’t on the road running barrels, she spends her time helping with day to day operations on the family ranch.

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